


Kiss Me Even If You Hate Me

by mayquita



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Captain Swan Secret Santa, Cats, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Mutual Pining, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2019-09-27 23:49:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17171804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayquita/pseuds/mayquita
Summary: Killian's faithful companion, his cat Roger, has a special inclination for sneaking into his neighbor's apartment. The problem? She is allergic to cats. And she hates him. But what will happen when Killian offers her to be part of a crazy plan?





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Although a bit late, here's the first part of my Secret Santa gift for Chloeswans. It was a pleasure to get to know you during these weeks. I hope you like it :)

 

If Killian had imagined when he woke up that morning that, at the end of the day, he would end up in a compromised and totally unexpected situation he might not have gotten out of bed. Or maybe it would have been better not to forget to close the door of his bloody balcony. Or not to answer his brother's phone call when he already knew in advance what he would propose.  
  
Killian was sure of one thing, though. In retrospect, he could always blame Roger. Or maybe he would have to thank his rascal pet for being the trigger for his life to change forever.

But better if we start at the beginning. The facts:  
  
For some inexplicable reason, the alarm clock on Killian's cell phone did not work that morning, causing him to wake up late and have to hurry to get to work on time.  
  
He did have a reason to explain his forgetfulness regarding the door to his balcony, though. He simply opened it to check the weather, but at that precise moment the toaster decided to expel two singed and inedible toasts, so he had to throw them in the bin and resign himself to take breakfast on the way to work, while the door of his balcony was completely forgotten.  
  
The breakfast never happened, since it seemed that today all the deities had turned against him, causing a traffic jam that made him arrive late to the office, earning the consequent disapproving look from his boss.  
  
And then there was the phone call. The damn call of his brother. The icing on the cake. Or rather the climax of his nightmare day. Or at least that was what he believed at that moment.  
  
Liam Jones, forty years old, the person who raised him since their father decided to abandon them when Killian was only ten years old and his brother eighteen. His overprotective, controlling and obstinate brother. Killian loved his brother, he really did, but the fact that he still treated him like a helpless child who needed to be cared for managed to both frustrate and infuriate him.  
  
He was already a grown man of thirty-two years, thank you very much. He did not need his bloody brother to set him up in dates with the sole purpose of trying for him to move on, to find a new love. He did not need a new love, his heart was broken beyond repair. He just needed to be allowed to live quietly and peacefully. But his brother did not seem to take the hint.

For that reason, Killian knew, without needing to listen to him, that Liam was calling because he had found, once again, the ideal candidate. But he was not in the mood today, so Killian answered the call offering only vague and evasive answers and hung up right away, alluding that he had a meeting that he could not avoid under any circumstances.

When Killian finally arrived at his apartment a few hours later he found that, indeed, he had forgotten to close the door of his balcony, causing, on the one hand, his living room to have become a freezer and on the other, that the furry cat that he had for a pet was nowhere to be seen. A sigh of resignation escaped his lips as he massaged his temples in a vain attempt to relieve a headache that had already begun to form, in anticipation of what was about to happen.

He did not even have time to count to ten when the unmistakable sound of someone knocking his door energetically reached his ears. His eyes raised to the ceiling and he took a deep breath as he walked slowly towards the door to welcome his not-so-unexpected guest.

Emma Swan, a bail bonds person, his fierce and gorgeous neighbor, silky blond hair and hypnotic green eyes, the one who hated him and did not bother in the least to hide it.

Well, to be honest, there might be a reason why Killian was not Emma’s favorite person. The face he found as soon as he opened the door was a clear indication, causing a pull of guilt to grow in his stomach.

Emma gave him a murderous look through her puffy eyes, the tip of her nose slightly reddish and hands on her hips in defiant attitude.

“Where the hell were you? You’ve been gone forever.” She snapped, her voice slightly nasal increasing his sense of guilt. He swallowed that feeling, though. There was something about Emma Swan, something that made him find it almost irresistible to challenge her and get a reaction in her, even if it was negative, the fire of her gaze too enticing for her own good - or his.

“Hello to you too, Swan.” He smirked at her, while leaning against the door frame, with his arms crossed over his chest. “had I known that you were so eager to see me I would have rushed to get home as soon as possible.”

She, obviously, rolled her eyes. “Cut that crap, Jones and come to my apartment.”

“So demanding, love. But who am I to refuse a request coming from a beautiful woman to accompany her to her apartment?” He pushed himself away from the frame while winking at her, earning a snort from her. “By the way, you don’t look good. You aren’t sick, are you?”

He knew that he had crossed the line the moment his words left his mouth without the possibility of holding back the sarcasm of his voice. She glared at him with such intensity that he almost flinched.

“And whose fault is it, you asshole?” Emma threw her hands in the air in annoyance as she headed for the door of her apartment shaking her head. “Are you coming or not?”

He had the good sense this time to simply nod and follow her in search of the cause of this compromising situation.

Roger, his three-year-old cat, his faithful companion, at least until Emma became his neighbor. Since then, the little rascal developed a practice to sneak into Emma's apartment at the slightest opportunity. The problem? She was allergic to cats.

"Hey mate." Killian grabbed his pet, holding him while rubbing him between the ears, causing the cat to purr at his ministrations. "How many times will I have to tell you that your love is impossible? You should stop playing Romeo sneaking up her balcony."

"Maybe if his owner did not leave the door of his balcony open all day in November, he would have no chance to sneak up here." Emma retorted, still holding a defiant attitude towards him. Although she stayed away from the animal, she could not help but sneeze, causing the tug of regret in his stomach to grew.

That did not stop his words from betraying him again, sliding between his lips before he had time to process them. "Well, if we're going to be exact, if he's here now it's because someone opened that door for him." He cocked his head in the direction of her balcony. "Admit it, Swan. You like my cat."

"Of course I like your cat, but, as you have just said, our love is impossible." She shrugged as she bit her lower lip, a gesture that Killian found especially appealing. "Besides, I'm not that cruel. It's very cold out there today and the poor animal was looking at me through the glass with those puppy eyes while meowing... I couldn't leave him there all alone."  
  
Killian held Roger up, placing the cat's face beside his, arching one eyebrow as a grin pulled at his lips. "You're such a charming, aren't you? A dashing rapscallion, just like your owner."

"You wish." Emma snorted as she rolled her eyes again. "And now if you don’t mind, I have more important things to do." She gestured to the front door that was still open, a clear invitation for him to leave.

For some reason, he found himself in need of continuing his encounter with Emma. The fire in her gaze still lingered, but her features had softened slightly, as if she had lowered her defenses even if it was subtle.

His brain did not seem to accompany him in his desire to not leave, though, since he wasn't able to find any excuse to continue talking to her. There was also the problem of her allergy. Or maybe he could use it to his advantage, at least this time. "Before leave, I just wanted to tell you something, but If you allow me a moment..." Without further ado, he hastened to cross the short distance that separated her door from his, pushed Roger gently into his apartment and closed the door behind his cat.

He had to suppress the smile that threatened to appear on his lips when he realized that Emma had decided to follow him. Point for him. "About earlier, I would like to apologize..." Before continuing, Killian moved his hand to scratch behind his ear. He was so used to showing his cocky facade that he found it quite difficult to show his other side, the real one. "It's bad form to make jokes about a person's state of health."

She studied him carefully through her narrow eyes, as if deciding whether she should accept his apology or not. Killian could not help but hold his breath at her scrutiny, but he did not look away. Finally, she simply sighed. "Just, don't do it again."

Something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye at that moment, causing his heart to skip a beat and his pulse to quicken. His brother Liam was approaching down the hall. His brother and his proposal for a date. Killian clenched his jaw and as he swallowed his urge to scream in frustration. Instead, he focused on Emma, who was still in front of him and who was giving him a questioning look.

An idea popped into his mind at that moment — he would blame the stunning blonde he had before him— so he decided to act impulsively, not taking time to assess the consequences of what he was about to do. Before turning back to Emma, he looked over her shoulder, determining the distance his brother was in and thanking the building architect internally for creating such long corridors.

Killian cleared his throat before expressing his idea aloud, hoping against hope that Emma would be receptive. "Since you're here, I'd like to ask you a huge favor, love." In response, Emma raised an eyebrow, while tilting her head. "Don't yell at me and don't get the wrong idea, but I need you to kiss me, and do it quickly, Swan. I'll be eternally grateful if you play along with me, love."  
  
"You're out of your mind, Jones." Emma huffed, shaking her head, but her cheeks colored a slight pink halo and she did not seem to have any intention to leave, so Killian count it as a small triumph.  
  
"I'll explain it to you later, Swan, please, just a kiss on the cheek." He begged, his lips drawing a small pout, while his heart beat frantically in his chest. A new sidelong glance at his brother helped him to verify that he was already very close. "I'll compensate you later."  
  
"You're starting to worry me, Jones."  
  
"Please, Swan..." He insisted, his voice sounding like a whispered plea. "My brother is approaching us and I need to pretend that..." He could not continue his explanation because suddenly Emma's lips were on his, leaving him paralyzed for a moment.  
  
The unexpected kiss ended before he had time to react. Her lips parted from his just at the moment he had begun to savor them, causing them to tingle in his desire for more. "Happy? you better have a good enough explanation." Emma muttered, her warm breath caressing his lips, before finally leaving in the direction of her apartment.  
  
_Bloody hell_... Killian shook his head in disbelief, wondering if this had really happened, if Emma had just kissed him or if what had happened was nothing more than a figment of his imagination.

The expression of incredulity that his brother wore when he met Emma down the hall and the look he gave him next were indicative enough that no, he wasn't dreaming. His lips still tingled, so he brushed them lightly with his fingers, in an attempt to make Emma's touch linger.

"What was that?" Liam took one last look at the now closed door of Emma's apartment and then shook his head, directing his inquisitive gaze at him.

His lips remained sealed, though, as he stepped aside to let Liam come in. Killian hoped that the previous small act would have been enough to discourage Liam in his search, although he also trusted that his brother wouldn't inquire too much. As he began to be aware of the implications of their performance, the previous idea no longer seemed so appropriate but rather reckless.

"That lass just kissed you." Liam insisted, his gaze locked on his, a slight wrinkle appearing on between his eyebrows.

"I am aware, brother."

Killian went to the kitchen in search of something, anything, that would help him divert attention from what had just happened. He grabbed two bottles of beer from the fridge, offering one to his brother as a distraction maneuver.

Liam didn't take the hint, though. "So that was the reason why you were so evasive earlier." He paused for a moment, as if he were processing the information. Something must have clicked on his brain, because suddenly his face lit up. "You are already seeing someone."

"How perceptive, I'm impressed." Killian retorted flatly, unable to stop the tone of sarcasm from his voice.

"Since when?"

 _Since when?... bloody hell._ Killian squeezed his brain trying to find an answer that would not cause the ball of lies he had already begun to increase. Emma had moved next to him in the summer. He remembered it perfectly because the first time he met her, she was wearing tiny shorts and a tank top that left little for the imagination. He had offered his services —perhaps too enthusiastically— to help her carry the boxes but he had found a glare and a monosyllable for an answer, rejecting his help. And that's how Emma Swan had started to hate him, for no apparent reason.

"Three months." He finally replied, believing that he had found the safest answer, choosing a period not too long to be something so serious but with a certain sense of stability.

His brother did not seem to think the same, though. Liam's eyes narrowed, his features darkened. "But… you went out on a date with that lass, Tink, only a month ago."

 _Oh dammit_. Killian groaned inwardly as he wished that a hole would open under his feet and suck him. He felt a headache approaching again due to the effort his brain was making to improvise and create something minimally credible. "Emma knew and that's one of the reasons why it was just one date. After dinner, I went back home with her." He mumbled the first excuse that came to his mind, hoping it was convincing enough.

“But why did you accept it in the first place? Why don't you tell me you were already seeing someone?" Liam asked still confused, a shadow of hurt crossing his face. He recovered quickly, though. "Sorry for the scrutiny, Killian, it's just that this is something so unexpected that it caught me off guard." His features softened, while his lips drew the ghost of a smile.

 _You tell me_... He suppressed the urge to rub his temples in an attempt to relieve the impending headache. Instead, the corners of his lips lifted slightly as he searched for a new excuse.

"Emma and I were still getting to know each other and she preferred to keep things for us and see if it worked."

Liam's smile grew wider. "Well, it's obvious that it's still working, if a month later you're still dating."

"Aye." He brought the bottle to his lips and took a sip, hoping that the bitter liquid would offer him enough self-confidence to continue the farce a little more.

"I'm happy for you, little brother, truly." He approached Killian and gave his shoulder an affectionate squeeze. Despite the circumstances, the fact that Liam cared so much about him caused a warm sensation to spread through his body.

"I think this good news deserves a toast." Liam raised the beer and he had no choice but to accept it, the previous warm feeling giving way to a tug of guilt settling in his stomach.

"It's younger, and It's not a big deal, really. We're still getting to know each other."

"It's not a big deal? Killian, are you aware that it's the first time since..." Liam trailed off, not daring to say her name, but her mere mention, albeit indirectly, caused his heart to tighten in his chest. "...well, I don't remember you dating with anyone for more than one occasion, so allow me to disagree, little brother, it's a huge deal."

Roger decided to reappear at that moment, rubbing his tail down Liam's legs and allowed him to finally divert the attention from Emma. For the next few minutes, they kept a light conversation while Liam held Roger in his arms and caressed him gently.

The relief was short-lived, to his dismay. Roger's momentary distraction wasn't enough for Liam to forget the subject, clearly excited by the news, once the initial shock had been overcome. "So this year you can finally take someone to the cabin at Christmas. Can't wait to tell Elsa."

Killian froze at the mention of the cabin. _Bloody hell._.. He resisted the urge to bang his head against the smooth surface of the kitchen counter as he wished to go back in time to reject the damn idea that had put him in this compromising situation.

Well, if he hadn't had that idea, Emma wouldn't have kissed him, and he was pretty sure he wouldn't have had another chance to taste her lips... _Focus, Jones!_ He shook his head slightly in an attempt to return to reality. The cabin, right.

The Jones brothers had carried on a tradition for many years, since they arrived in the States from London. Every year, no matter the circumstances, they would meet for a few days at Christmas in some secluded place, enjoying only the company of the other and their respective families.

They had been visiting that cabin for five years. The previous years they had rented a different one, but that one had so many memories that he had found himself unable to continue with the tradition. That hadn’t stopped Liam, though. One of the characteristics of his brother was his stubbornness, so instead of giving up, they had simply changed the place, but the initial spirit would remain the same.

"You better not get ahead so much, Liam, there are still two months left for Christmas." He argued weakly.

"Nonsense." Liam replied with a dismissive wave of his hand, then he gave him an intense look, causing his heart to flutter as he held his breath. "I know you, brother, I know that when there are feelings involved, you give everything of yourself. If that lass knows what is good for her, she will keep you around."

Liam left half an hour later, with the promise that Killian would do everything in his power to take _his girlfriend_ to their traditional family event. The poor excuses that Killian threw in a desperate attempt to not involve Emma in all this nonsense were of no use. Now that the lie had begun there was no turning back, unless he confessed that everything had been a farce from the beginning, and that, honestly, wasn't among his plans, at least for now.

When his brother finally walked down the hall, Killian entered his apartment and, closing the door, he leaned against the smooth surface, shutting his eyes closed for a moment and letting out a deep breath, a gripping sensation washing over him while he wondered how the hell he was going to convince Emma to be part of this stupid plan.

* * *

 

The moment the door closed behind her, she leaned against it and brought her hands to her chest, feeling her heart beating frantically against her rib cage. She resisted the urge to bang her head against the wooden surface while cursing herself for what had just happened.

What the hell was she thinking when she threw herself to kiss Killian? She hated the guy, for God's sake! She had spent the whole day with a stuffy nose and watery eyes because of him, and he had only needed to use that accented and seductive voice while throwing a pleading look at her through those stupid and very blue eyes and she was already at his mercy.

The kiss was fleeting, just a light brush of lips, but Emma could still feel the warm sensation of his lips on hers. _Dammit_! Who was she kidding? As much as she tried to convince herself that she hated her neighbor, her feelings were quite different. Despite his cocky attitude and his sporadic slips in regards to his cat, Emma had developed a damn crush on her neighbor almost from the moment they met for the first time.

But it wasn't like she was going to confess her feelings, after all, it was just a crush that would fade over time. She did not even know the guy enough. And, most importantly, her heart was closed. Forever.

Emma took a deep breath and let it out slowly before deciding to keep herself busy in order to get her neighbor out of her mind for at least a few minutes. The task she chose did not help in the matter, though, but it was something she had to do, at least if she took into account her well-being.

For the next half hour, she devoted herself to getting rid of any traces of fur that Roger had left in his raid on her apartment. It was a shame, really. Her four-legged neighbor was so adorable, with those blue eyes — no, she wasn't thinking in his owner's eyes — and the beautiful fur color, a mixture of gray and white. But he was so furry it was a risk to her health due to her damn allergy. Even though the cat was no longer there, she sneezed a couple of times while cleaning.  
  
She was so focused on the task that she did not hear the knock on her door at first. What she did hear was Killian's voice.

"Swan, are you there?"

 _Oh shit!_ Emma remembered that Killian owed her an explanation to his unexpected request, but she did not think that she would receive it so soon. Moving slowly towards the door, she took two deep breaths in an attempt to pull herself together and she quickly schooled her features in an expression of indifference.

To his credit, his usual swagger had disappeared when Emma opened the door. Instead, he showed a contrite expression and a strange glow in his eyes. Far from relieving her, though, his fleeting gaze activated all her alerts.

"What do you want now, Jones?"

"I just wanted to thank you for your help with my previous request, it was..."

"A one-time thing." She cut him off abruptly as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Aye..." His voice trailed off, as his gaze drifted everywhere but to her face. Emma noticed how his hand moved to scratch behind his ear before he continued speaking. "The truth is, I'd have to ask you for another little favor, Swan. Could I come in and explain it to you?"

For all answer, she let out a deep sigh and stepped aside to let him in.

"Spit it out." She snapped while closing the door behind her.

"Well, as you may have guessed, the man from earlier was my brother Liam..."

"I know your brother." The words escaped her mouth before she had time to assess the implications. Emma bit her lower lip as she felt her cheeks flush at the realization of her mistake.

"You do? Because I don't remember having introduced him to you..." He tilted his head and gave her an inquisitive look.

Of course, she knew him. She knew that his brother Liam visited him frequently, at least once a week, and that sometimes he also brought his wife and children, a girl around six years old and two twin boys around four years old. And she knew all this because they were neighbors and the walls that separated the two apartments were tremendously thin. It wasn't that she had any special interest in Killian's family. Absolutely not.

"We're neighbors, remember?"

Killian raised an eyebrow as his lips drew a naughty smirk. She had to resist the temptation to erase the stupid smile from his lips using her own. "If I didn't know you any better, I'd say you have quite the interest in my family, eh Swan?"

Emma felt again a flush of embarrassment burning her cheeks but she ignored the feeling, focusing instead on trying to change the topic. "Don't try to divert attention, Jones, you owe me an explanation."

"About that ... my brother wanted to arrange me a date with some lass and I... well, I don't do the dating thing, so I thought that if he believed we were together..." His voice trailed off, all his bravado gone. Instead, he seemed quite uncomfortable with the situation, so she decided to finish the explanation for him.

"He would stop looking for dates for you?" He simply nodded as the corners of his lips lifted slightly.

"But why wouldn't a guy like you do the dating thing?" Emma's eyes widened as she realized the possible explanation. "Oh, you're a one-night-stand kind of guy, right?"

Killian scratched behind his ear again before answering, in a gesture Emma was learning to identify as a nervous tick. "Something like that."

 _Liar_. He wasn't telling the truth. There was something that characterized Emma, almost as a gift, she could feel when someone was lying. The signs in Killian were obvious, like the way he turned his gaze away while his features hardened and a flash of something like hurt crossed his eyes.

Besides, if she was honest with herself, in the four months she had lived in that apartment, she didn't remember any disturbing sounds coming from the other side of the wall, nor had she crossed paths with any women leaving his apartment... Of course he could be one of those guys who never brought the girl to his house so that he could leave the place without having to explain himself. Someone like her…

Emma shook her head in an attempt to finish that train of thought. Instead, she focused again on Killian, who stood in front of her, with his hands in his pockets while rocking back and forth on his feet.

"Well, mission accomplished, I guess?" She replied, her lips drawing a reluctant smile. Her attitude toward him remained cautious, but somehow, his behavior after his brother's visit had made him seem nervous, so she allowed herself to lower her defenses a little. Just for this time.

"Aye, perhaps too well, and that's where I need to ask you for another small favor." The way he wrinkled his nose, while his lips twisted in a quite adorable pout told her that this favor wouldn't be small at all.  

Emma wasn't sure she wanted to hear what kind of favor he would ask for this time. A swirl of mixed feelings seized her, causing her stomach to tighten into knots in anticipation as her heart thudded in her chest. "And what would that small favor be?" She asked, her curiosity finally winning the battle.

Before answering, he cleared his throat, and offered her a half smile. "We have this tradition, we spend all the holiday in a cabin in the woods and... my brother kinda has invited you to spend the next Christmas with us." He muttered hastily, while his gaze remained centered on his shoes.

Something might not be working well in her brain, maybe one of the effects of her allergy, because it took Emma a few seconds to process the request. But when she finally did, she gaped in disbelief. "Your brother did what?"

"He invited my girlfriend to spend Christmas with us in a cabin in the woods." Killian repeated tentatively, one of his shoulders tensed up around his ear.

"Have you gone crazy?" Emma almost shouted. "By your girlfriend you mean me? How the hell do you think I would accept that absurd plan? We hate each other!"

"I don't hate you, Swan. Actually, I quite fancy you from time to time when you are not yelling at me." He wagged his eyebrows at her but the glare she shot him was enough for him to change his expression, his bottom lip caught between his teeth.

Emma started pacing up and down her living room, her stomach fluttering and her heart pounding in her chest. "I'm not doing this, buddy."

"Come on, Swan, I'll compensate you. Please." And there was his pleading voice again. His heart should be broken if he was doing all this so that his brother would leave him alone. Emma couldn't help sympathizing with him, but even so, she was not doing this, absolutely not.

Killian didn't seem to give up, as he insisted. "Think of it this way, you get to spend a few days in an idyllic place for free. You would not even have to buy gifts, I would take care of it. It would be like an all-inclusive vacation."

Tempting... but nope, it wasn't happening. "You realize that it’s a plan doomed to failure? It’s one thing to give you a kiss that lasted a fraction of a second and quite another to spend several days in front of your family pretending that we are a couple. I'm not good with PDAs and all that stuff. Plus, you may fancy me from time to time, but, I don't like you, Jones."

"I'll clean your apartment for a month." Killian cut her rambling with another tempting offer. But not enough.

Emma shook her head energetically. "Ah ah, you need to offer me something else, Jones."

Killian growled, clearly annoyed, but that did not stop him from trying. "I will take care of paying the rent for your apartment for a month."

He was insistent and quite convincing, Emma would concede him that. It was evident that, once overcome his initial discomfort, he had regained his habitual self-confidence, deciding to embark fully on this kind of suicide mission. Emma couldn't help but feel some admiration for his determination despite the fact that he was the one who had more to lose. After all, he would be lying to his entire family. But she wasn't going to make it easy for him.

"Only one month? Not enough."

"Come on Swan, the prices of these apartments are prohibitive. I don't earn enough to pay two rentals."

"One month of rent and one month of vacuuming my apartment." She offered, making great efforts to hold back the grin that threatened to form on her lips. She was enjoying this more than she should, considering the implications.

Killian remained pensive for a few seconds while rubbing the scruff on his jaw, in a movement perhaps too distracting. Then his head moved subtly, as if convincing himself, and finally, he let out a sigh as his gaze sought hers. "Fine."

She wasn't prepared for the intensity of his blue eyes, so she remained with her eyes lost in his until, finally, she blinked breaking the spell. He had managed to convince her, no doubt, but there was something quite appealing about the enthusiasm with which Killian tried to win her favor, so she decided to continue fighting a little more.

"If I accept the deal, and yes, you have listened well, if... Roger can't come with us. I like the cat, obviously more than his owner, but we sadly can not live together under the same roof."

"Of course, love." He hastened to respond. "I already have a candidate who can take care of him."

"And one last thing." She raised a finger in warning. "If Roger sneaks into my apartment one more time before Christmas, I will break the deal."

"Sure, love, I'll personally take care that Roger stays in my apartment."

"Good."

"So, we have a deal?" He asked, focusing his gaze back on hers. 

She should reject it. Her mind was screaming that she shouldn't accept it. She was about to accept spending a week pretending to be the girlfriend of the person for whom she had a crush, for God's sake! But her fluttering heart had other plans, encouraging her to accept the deal and continue to know her infuriating neighbor, even at the risk of being harmed in the process.

Before making her final decision, she took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes, studying him for the last time. She could only see honesty and clear anticipation. The decision was made. "I suppose so, but don't make me regret it, Jones."

The giant smile that bloomed on his face caused her to start feeling butterflies fluttering in her stomach. "Not to worry, lass, I'll be on my best behavior for the next few weeks."

Only when Emma closed the door after saying goodbye to Killian did she realize the implications of the risky agreement she had accepted. She was going to spend a week with the person she supposedly hated, although the reality was very different. The question was, would she be able to keep her crush on that or, on the contrary, end up falling for him irremediably?

She was a tough girl, that wasn't going to happen, she tried to convince herself. Still, she couldn't help a bittersweet feeling washing over her at the thought that her life was so pathetic that she was beginning to get excited about spending Christmas surrounded by family. It didn't matter that it was fake. This would be the first time in a long time that she wouldn't spend Christmas all alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. I'd like to know what you all think :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d like to apologize in the first place to Kers, @chloeswans since this was Secret Santa gift and until now she had only got the first part. Originally, this fic was only going to have three chapters, but, it seems that it won’t be like that anymore … Considering how slow I’m writing maybe when this story reaches the Christmas part, we will be actually celebrating Christmas… Anyway, I hope you like it.
> 
>  
> 
> _This is unbeta’s so all the many mistakes are mine. @saraswans Thank you as always, for believing in me and my writing and pushing me to continue doing it._

Killian saw Emma again the very next day, when he returned home from work. Trusting that their tentative approach from the previous day would have served to smooth things over between them, he dared to joke with her, using the term _girlfriend_ to address her. The glare Emma directed at him had the immediate effect of erasing from his lips the grin that had accompanied his words, sending them back to the starting point. Or even further.

Luckily for him, Killian barely saw Emma in the next few days, so he almost managed to forget about their crazy plan and continue with his normal life, only the tiniest vestige of their kiss lingering on his lips. That memory only came to haunt him at night, in the solitude of his bedroom, while his mind recreated the moment and his brain created wild fantasies from the damn kiss. The fact that he was aware that she was probably lying in bed on the other side of the wall did not help keep his unbridled imagination at bay.

Their brief interactions had been limited to some small gesture of the head in acknowledgment or greeting and the exchange of a couple of words, maintaining a civil behavior, enough to not feed his fantasies.

Little he would have imagined that their relationship was about to take a new turn, and that, once again, his brother, or rather his entire family, would be the ones to blame. Killian should have known better. He should have suspected that the brief interrogation of his brother when he found out that Killian had a ( _fake_ ) girlfriend would be just the prelude to the barrage he was subjected to the next time he saw his family.

He barely had time to enter the door of his brother's flat for their traditional Sunday lunch, when he was cornered by his sister-in-law Elsa and her sister Anna who didn't hesitate to let him know, maybe too enthusiastically, how they felt after hearing the news. "We're so happy for you", "Tell us everything!", "How could you keep the secret for so long?" Elsa was more moderate, but Anna's continuous stream of words caused him to feel an incipient headache coming on.

He tried to keep his composure, responding in monosyllables or with just a movement of his head, while suppressing the impulse to get out and lock himself in his apartment. He forced himself to remember the reason he was carrying out the bloody plan. It would always be preferable to see his family happy and excited, with wide smiles and a glimmer of anticipation — or maybe hope— in their eyes, instead of the scrutiny to which he was subjected at times, the melancholy smiles and the looks of concern at best, or charged with compassion at worst.

Even so, he couldn't stop a thought from wandering in his head, a reminder that those smiles of joy for him would have an expiration date, that this farce would end sooner or later and that he was a bastard and a coward for lying to his family in something so important instead of facing his demons once and for all.

Just as a wave of guilt approached, threatening to overwhelm him, he peered at his niece Olivia, and, showing off his cowardice, he slipped away and sought refuge in his niece and the rest of the children, trusting to distract his mind for a while by entertaining the children and allowing himself to be absorbed by their incessant energy and their contagious laughter.

Luck continued to accompany him during lunchtime as his family's interest in his love life was forgotten, adults too busy trying to make sure their children ingested the food instead of using it as throwing weapons in the pitched battle that the little rascals had organized around the table.

These meals were always a bit wild, several conversations interspersed among adults, children screaming or fighting with their siblings or cousins — Anna and her husband Kristoff also had two small boys —spilled glasses, food dropped on the floor... Maybe the majority of single adults in their thirties would try to evade being part of this kind of messy events, but there was something appealing in the midst of such craziness, and it was the feeling of belonging, of being part of something that had been denied to all of them for a long time. He was able now to enjoy the warmth of a family and get carried away by the desire to live so contagious that the children gave off, getting his mood always improve even though he ended the evening with a headache caused by such irrepressible and noisy energy.

What Killian hadn't counted on was that calm came always after the storm. Once they finished lunch, the younger children went for a nap while his niece Olivia and Josh, the eldest son of Anna and Kristoff were entertained with a movie, which left the adults a quiet moment to chat peacefully. Just what Killian didn't need at all.

He didn't even have time to take a sip of his coffee when the inquiry began. Killian had no choice but to arm himself with patience and rely on his ability to improvise, while cursing inwardly for not having prepared some answers in advance. What the hell was he thinking?

"Well, little brother, I believe you have something to tell us. Don't think that I haven't realized how you've slipped away before." Elsa was the first to speak, while giving him an expectant look.

"It's younger. In law." Killian pointed before letting out an exaggerated sigh, not hiding his irritation at the way Elsa was addressing him. He already had enough with his bloody brother, thank you very much. Elsa simply rolled her eyes and then raised an eyebrow, as an indication that she was waiting for an answer. "I suppose your husband has already informed you of everything there is to know. I've been seeing someone for three months. She has been invited to spend the holidays with us and she has accepted. End of the story."

"End of the story? Not at all, not when we don’t even know the beginning. We want details, Killy.” Anna almost bounced excitedly in her seat.

Killian hated that Anna used that term of endearment with him, just as his sister-in-law had ended up emulating his husband and used the term "little brother" more often than not, something that made him almost cringe. He was aware that it was an affectionate term but it did nothing to mitigate that feeling of being like a small child who had to be cared for.

Hi did not have the slightest desire to expand his explanations, but Elsa didn't even give him time to reply, continuing with the interrogation, to his dismay. "Yes! We want to know everything, such as her identity. Are you dating your neighbor, the blonde girl? I think we've met her in the hallway once, she seems nice."

 _Nice_... He wouldn't describe Emma as a nice person, but rather a bit of a badass, at least with him, but that was part of her appeal, wasn't it? She was tough, enigmatic and at the same time stunning... He noticed how his cheeks began to burn, while a warm sensation spread through his body. _Stop_! He needed to stop imagining Emma and focus on the conversation if he didn't want to embarrass himself and look like a schoolboy with his first crush.

"Aye, Emma has been my neighbor for several months. Something else?"

"Of course, we want to know how it all began. Tell us and give us some juicy detail." Anna insisted as she rubbed her hands together causing him to roll his eyes while her husband snorted. After letting out a sigh of resignation, he began to tell  _their story_.

"It was Roger's fault. He slipped into her apartment and she's allergic to cats. She didn't take it well and let's say the relationship didn't get off to a good start, but then things seem to have turned out just fine."

"Oh, an enemies to lovers story, isn't that cute?" Anna grinned at him. "And with a cat involved. It's like a romantic novel, isn't it?" He repressed the impulse to raise his gaze to the ceiling begging for mercy. Little did he know that his particular ordeal had only just begun.

From there on, the two women of the family began to ask him more specific questions related to both Emma and their relationship, to which he had no choice but to seek improvised answers, while making a mental note in a desperate attempt to remember all that information for the future.

"What's her favorite color?"

 _Who cares?_   "Yellow." The image of her yellow beetle parked always occupying the best spot just in front of their block of flats came to mind.

"Have you met her family yet?"

"She doesn't have any close relatives." He only remembered a tall brunette woman visiting her flat. Which led him to wonder what was the true story of Emma Swan. She always seemed a lonely woman. Maybe she also had a traumatic past? For some reason that possibility caused a strange sensation to settle in the pit of his stomach. He would have to ask her at some point if he wanted this farce to succeed.

"Is she addicted to TV shows like you?"

He couldn't suppress an incipient smile appearing on his face before answering, "Oh yes." Of that, he was sure. The wall that separated the two apartments was so thin that he only need to remain silent to listen to what was happening on the other side. He could confirm that she spent hours in front of the television.

"Do you share musical tastes?"

 _Hell no_. "No." He was more into the rock bands of the 80s and 90s while she kept listening to Ed Sheeran at full volume. He was sure that she did it on purpose, as a sophisticated and subtle method of psychological torture.

Something came to his mind right then. He found it a bit contradictory and at the same time quite interesting that a person as tough as Emma had a soft side at least in terms of music. He took another mental note with the goal of teasing her about that matter at the first moment he had a chance.

The interrogation continued for a while longer, while his resources of improvisation began to run out. At the moment in which even the affable Kristoff dared to launch himself a question about Emma, he knew that he had reached his boiling point. Fortunately, his brother seemed to notice his uneasiness and came to his rescue, although in that peculiar way of his that almost supposed that the cure was worse than the disease. "Well, we'll have time to meet her and ask her in person soon. I already told you so, little brother, I understand that you want to be cautious, but I know you, we all know you." Liam paused, his hand waving to encompass all the family members present. "We know that when you put your heart into something you do it completely. She is the lucky one here, don't forget it."

His lips twisted slightly in a failed attempt at a smile as a feeling of guilt crept from his stomach to form a lump in his throat. This was all wrong. He shouldn't lie to his family in this way, let alone implicate Emma in such a farce. Nobody deserved it.

"Show us some pictures, I'm sure you have several of them on your phone."

 _Bloody hell!_ His heart froze for a moment, while the palms of his hands began to sweat. Of course, Elsa would ask about the photographs. How could he have forgotten that his sister-in-law was a sucker for pictures? It did not matter if they were travel photos, selfies, or just cute images. For her, photography was a medium that allowed us to tell stories through the image. She was a photographer for a reason. He cursed himself inwardly, for being so stupid as to pretend to cheat on his family without even elaborating a plan of action. He should abort the mission just at that moment. It was the right thing to do, isn't it? But then he glanced at his family. They were looking at him with their eyes full of hope and bright smiles, something he had not seen addressed to him in a long time. He could not disappoint them once again. While taking a deep breath, he came with a makeshift answer.

"I'm afraid it's not going to be possible." He shrugged as one of the corners of his lips twisted upward in an apologetic expression. "I ran out of space on the device and had to transfer all the content to my laptop. Maybe next time."

A flash of disappointment crossed Elsa's eyes, but she recovered after a few seconds, offering a soft smile. "Maybe next time come sooner than expected. Since it seems that the thing between the two of you has become official, I was thinking that you could bring Emma next week for our Sunday lunch."

 _Not a chance_. Especially since that meant he would have to convince Emma again. He did not even want to speculate on what she would demand in return, not to mention what a scrutiny like the one he had been subjected to would suppose for her. He had no intention of finding out. _No way in hell._

"We already had plans and we won't be here next week. Even I am aware that the fewer people there are in this first meeting, the less likely it’s that we frighten her to the point of making her flee."

Anna wasn't helping, certainly. The mere thought that Emma could be with him next week, sitting next to him in this very couch caused a chill to run down his spine. And not in a good way. He was so fucked up.

He left his brother's apartment late in the afternoon, without expressly committing himself to bring Emma next time. "I'll see what I can do. Let's say that she is not a very social person." It was the most they could get out of him.

While driving home, he had time to reevaluate Elsa's proposal. Maybe it was not such a bad idea. In fact, maybe it was something convenient. That first meeting would allow them to pave the way for what would happen at Christmas. He prayed to find Emma in a good mood. Or at least for her to be at home. He had the feeling that if he gave himself time to brood over the idea, he would finally chicken up and find it even harder to make the request.

It turned out that luck was on his side in that regard. As soon as he reached his door, just when he was taking the keys out of his pocket, Emma opened her own door, as if she had been invoked.

He was so unprepared to see her at that very moment that he almost makes a fool of himself when he was about to drop the keys. _Bloody hell._ This woman had a powerful effect on him both for good and bad. Once the first impression was over, he forced himself to put on the mask of bravado as a means of hiding his inner nervousness. To his relief, she seemed equally surprised, her eyes widening as her mouth fell open until she reacted, schooling her features and raising an eyebrow at him in an unimpressed gesture.

She was stunning, even just wearing leggins, a tank top and with her hair in a ponytail. Her attire seemed to indicate that she was not going anywhere but Killian couldn't help wondering why she had opened the door just then. Feeling that this could be a topic to push and get a reaction from her, Killian shortened the distance between him and his beautiful neighbor while his lips drew a mischievous smile.

"Hi, love, are you going somewhere or is just that you are eager to see your handsome fake boyfriend?"

Her reaction was the expected, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Or maybe it's just that I was waiting for someone..." She smirked at him. To his credit, he kept his smile, though he felt a twinge of something like jealousy in his stomach.

"Is that so?" He came even closer to her, invading her personal space, while tilting his head, his tongue darting out to wet his lips.

He had to suppress raising his fist in triumph when he saw the effect he had just caused on her. Her pupils dilated as her gaze drifted to his lips. He decided to push his luck a little more. "That would be a pity, because I happen to have a suggestion for you, something you will not be able to refuse." His voice dropped to a suggestive murmur.

Her gaze lingered on his lips for a split second until finally, her green eyes focused on his. "What do you want this time, Jones?"

It was now or never. It would be better if he didn't take the time to process the implications and just act. Summoning an act of unusual determination, he hastened to throw the proposition. "It turns out that today I've been visiting my family, like every Sunday, and they have suggested that you and I go to have lunch with them next Sunday. Isn't it exciting, Swan? Consider it a practice for when the big event takes place."

He had expected a much more explosive reaction, maybe a frown, perhaps a grimace, or even a little yelling. Instead, her reaction was much more subtle. He wasn't sure if that was a positive signal or not. Something he wasn't able to identify flashed in her gaze, and then her eyes narrowed and her head tilted a bit, subjecting him to an uncomfortable scrutiny.

"I've missed the part where this crazy plan is exciting. Care to explain how spending a Sunday afternoon surrounded by strangers, children included, while pretending to be your girlfriend may have something attractive to me?"

"The food will be delicious and my nephews and niece are quite adorable." He offered tentatively. _Seriously Jones? What the hell are you thinking?_

"The kids thing isn’t helping, buddy."

Okay. Emma wasn’t a kid person. Point to add in his imaginary list of things that he should know about Emma Swan. After letting out a heavy sigh, he had no choice but to resort to the method of persuasion had worked so well the previous time. He would have to beg.

"Come on, Swan, I've done my part of the plan so far. I'm the one who has to put up with Roger's plaintive mewling or worse, the murderous looks he throws at me when I stop him from going out on one of his exploratory adventures." Emma scoffed as she shook her head. "I'm not lying, he may be a small creature but sometimes he can be very intimidating." He was rambling, he was aware, but at least he had managed to get the ghost of a smile from Emma. Even so, she remained silent so he had no choice but to use once more the pleading tone while his lips drew a convincing pout. "Please?"

He held his breath as he tried to get distracted by the movement of her tongue licking her lips and the way her chest rose as she took a deep breath. He did not miss the soft blush that appeared on her cheeks either. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally decided to reply. "This is a one-time thing, Jones, I swear." She hardened her features as she raised a finger in warning. "Don't think that this is going to become a normal practice. You'll have to find an excuse for the next few weeks until Christmas."

"Sure. A one-time thing, just like the kiss. Got it." He managed to respond in a neutral tone and then pressed his lips together in an attempt to suppress the grin that threatened to form.

"And one more thing, do you have any cash with you?"

His brow furrowed in confusion as he groped in his pocket for his wallet. "What do you need the...?" When he looked up again he found that Emma was looking over his shoulder, while a non-subtle smirk was blossoming on her face. He turned following the direction of her gaze, meeting a delivery guy approaching with a box of pizza in his hands.

"Hi, E. Swan? I have a delivery for you." Emma gave the guy a sweet smile as she accepted the box.

"Thank you." Then she turned to him, plastering on a fake smile. "Can you pay for our dinner, honey? And don't forget the tip, since the service has been quite satisfactory so far."

Killian glared at her, but he complied without uttering a single word, especially not to embarrass the poor guy even more, who had been involved in that situation accidentally. The delivery man muttered a timid "thank you," before scurrying down the hall.

Emma took advantage of that moment of distraction to attempt to sneak away too, but he was faster. "Easy there, love. Since, after all, it's me who had just paid for that pizza, we could share it, don't you think?" He wasn't sure of the reason for that suggestion. Certainly, he wasn't hungry since it hadn't been that long since the family lunch. And having a conversation with Emma was quite a challenge. He tried to convince himself that this would be just a tactic to gather information about her so as not to make a fool of himself in front of his family next time.

"No, I don't think so. I happen to be very hungry. Also, consider it a payment in advance for what will happen next week." After giving him a triumphant glance, she closed the door in his face, without giving him time to reply.

"What the..." He remained speechless in the middle of the corridor for a few seconds, trying to process what had just happened. He should have imagined it. He couldn't prevent a laugh from bubbling in his throat at the surrealism of the situation. Was it possible that Emma had flirted with the poor delivery boy? Or was it something that only he had appreciated because she had managed to charm him in a way?

In the end, it was clear that she had managed to have free dinner at his expense and he had achieved what he intended, continue with the farce for a little longer and pave the way to make the official introduction of Emma to his family. The very idea of that next encounter caused a chill to run down his spine as his body tensed. He was not sure he could handle the situation at all. Not with someone like Emma as an accomplice.

He shook his head to get out of the trance as he pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a deep sigh. Once his composure was restored, he finally headed to his apartment. Before he could open the door, though, his neighbor's door opened again and Emma's head poked through the gap.

"Uh, you wouldn’t have any beer, would you? I may have run out of them."

He looked towards her with some disbelief, as he bit the inside of his cheek, holding back a snarky retort. Instead, he merely nodded in resignation, trusting that her requests would not go any further. "Sure, love, how many do you need?"

"That depends on the beers you're gonna drink." There was a challenge there, both in her eyes and her voice, but Killian also detected something else, something he couldn't identify. Maybe a glimpse of what was behind the walls around her?

His brows knitted together as he gave her an inquiring look through his narrow eyes. "Does that mean I'm invited now?"

"Don't make me regret it. Are you bringing the beers or not?"

"I'll be right back." To his credit, he repressed the urge to smile like an idiot until he found himself in the privacy of his apartment. His grin widened when Roger came out to meet him. "I'm sorry mate, I'm afraid that I won't be able to accompany you at dinner today." After caressing his back, he hurriedly filled his container with food and then went to the fridge to grab the beers. 

Before leaving his apartment to meet Emma again he took two deep breaths, while he tried unsuccessfully not to read too much in her sudden change of mind. This would be the first time that Emma deliberately invited him to her apartment with no other purpose than to hang out together, even if she had used beer as an excuse. That change of attitude had to mean something. He had better not waste that opportunity if he wanted to succeed next week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, let me know what you all think :)


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